Democrat Jacob Frey, 44, was re-elected in Minneapolis for his third term as mayor of the city. Frey’s candidacy was endorsed by Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota who ran for vice president on the Democratic ticket in 2024 with Kamala Harris.
In his victory speech, Frey spoke for almost a minute in Somali, the official language of Somalia.
The city is home to more than 60,000 Somalis, according to data from the World Population Review, and is the largest Somali community in the United States.
“No matter where you come from, Minneapolis should be a place you’re proud to call home,” Frey told an audience of mostly Somalis. “If you come from Bosaso or Mogadishu, if you come from Hargeisa or Galcayo, if you come from southwest Minneapolis, this is a place where you come for prosperity, where you come to raise your family,” he added.
The mayor-elect also said the election was “a moment for unity, where the entire Somali community can come together and say, ‘These are our people. This is our city.”
The statement sparked criticism. Paul Szypula, a conservative influencer, published the video of Frey’s speech on his official X profile, saying that the Democrat’s message was, in fact, that the city belonged to Somalia. He added that “the flattery here is insane.”
Mayor Jacob Frey, as he won reelection, spoke almost a minute in Somali then said Minneapolis belongs to Somalia:
“This is a moment for unity where the entire Somali community can come together and say, ‘This is our people, this is our city, we are united behind each other.’”…
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl)
Conservative commentator Gerry Callahan also weighed in on Frey’s speech on his X account. “This is an American politician, raised in America, educated in America, supposedly representing Americans, kowtowing to a bunch of foreigners. This could be the most humiliating thing I’ve ever seen,” Callahan wrote.
This is an American politician, raised in America, educated in America, ostensibly representing Americans, prostrating himself in front of bunch of foreigners.
Could be the most humiliating thing I’ve ever seen.
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan)
Podcast host Matt Walsh criticized Jacob Frey’s use of Somali when addressing the audience after his election victory. “As I have said many times, politicians in this country should be required by law to speak English when they address the public in an official capacity. There should never be a time when Americans cannot understand what their elected leaders are saying,” he said.
As I have said many times now, politicians in this country should be required by law to speak English when addressing the public in an official capacity. There should never be a time when Americans can’t understand what their elected leaders are saying.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog)
Conservative influencer Nick Sortor, who on , also criticized the mayor-elect, saying he didn’t know “how big the presence of immigration agents is in Minneapolis, but it should be much bigger.”
Jacob Frey’s team did not comment on the criticism. The elected mayor must assume his third term on January 1, 2026.
